竹篮打水，一场空 zhúlándǎshuǐyīchángkōng wasted effort Origin Definitions Defs Strokes Stroke Words Sentences Sents 竹篮打水 竹籃打水 zhúlándǎshuǐ wasted effort using a wicker basket to draw water; a metaphor for all one's efforts being in vain， yī non-Chinese 一场空 一場空 yīchángkōng all in vain everything having come to nothing; all efforts and hopes failing completely